Valve Removal & Instalation

[captain]

I recently took several tanks in for hydro at the local hydro shop. I usually remove the valves and install plugs before taking them but with Sand Dog coming up I was in a hurry and I didn't. I had the valves hand tight, when I got them back I tried to remove the valves to inspect the interior of the tanks. I had to use a tank vise and wrench to remove them. Later when trying to install a regulator on one tank it would not seal. The hydro shop had incorrectly placed the wrench on the valve when installing it and crushed one side of the valve into the O ring groove.

Correct wrench placement, the wrench force is pushing away from the O ring groove.





Incorrect wrench placement, the wrench force is pushing into the O ring groove.

[Bryan]

Thanks for the information Tom. A picture is worth a thousand words.

[crimediver]

Good reminder. I had the exact same thing happen to me. The wrench had mashed down the o-ring groove and ruined the valve. I have also had tanks with the o-ring sealed valves torqued on so tight they were almost possible to remove for visual.
I now remove all valves before dropping them off for hydro to preclude either from happening again.

[phsdive]

Annoying when they tighten up the valves when hand tight will do. When I need to use the wrench to take a valve out I put a large coin (or washer) between the wrench and the valve, spreads the pressure across the whole face and not on the thin edge next to the o ring groove.